Education Minister Pokhriyal: Final Year Exams Successfully Conducted Amid COVID-19

November 18, 2020: Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank stated during an online video conference organized by Maharashtra Education Society.that final year college exams were successfully conducted across India amid the pandemic crisis, 

The Union Minister added that the central government was firm with its decision to conduct final year examinations amid pandemic despite opposition. 

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The reason being the students would have been stuck with “passed” during COVID-19’ for their entire lives without having to appear for final year exams.

During the event, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank emphasized on New Education Policy 2020 encouraging students to be taught in their mother tongues as it will improve comprehension. 

He also praised teachers, students, and educational institutions’ authorities for switching to online teaching platforms during the pandemic.

Ramesh Pokhriyal said, “We took a strong stand and decided to conduct the exams.” In opposition to conducting final year college examinations, many fellow students filed a petition to the Supreme Court. 

However, the Supreme Court revoked the petition and ruled that exams must be held. Some even protested when the Union Government decided to conduct JEE 2020 and NEET 2020 exams for admission to engineering and medical courses across the country.

Read: NEP 2020 will Synchronize National Education with International Pattern: Union Education Minister

Pokhriyal said that the Government doesn’t want to waste the efforts of majority of students who had prepared day and night for examinations and who wanted the exams to be conducted.

Conduction of JEE 2020 and NEET 2020 was successful to the extent that the Election Commission sought a solution to hold Bihar elections amid the pandemic. Bihar Government decided to adopt the pattern used during conduction of these entrance examinations.

Regarding New Education Policy 2020, Pokhriyal added, “We do not oppose English but we insist on mother tongue. For instance, countries like Japan, Germany, Israel, who prefer their mother tongues to impart education. Moreover, none of these countries are lagging behind in any field.”

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The key foundation of ‘Atma-nirbharta’ is the new education policy of practicing mother tongue because it introduces vocational training at an early stage. Additionally, the new policy will stop the migration of talent.

‘Study in India’, a new initiative has been started as part of the new policy to put an end to the race for going abroad for education.

Pokhriyal claimed that literacy rate in India was 97 % before Lord Macaulay Education policy was implemented in India during British rule. He added that India was a leader in education among other universities such as Nalanda University.